As in previous years, the 13th edition of The Global Risks Report is based on the annual Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS)1, completed by 900 members of the World Economic Forum’s global multi-stakeholder community. Respondents are drawn from business, academia, civil society and the public.

The survey asked respondents to consider 30 global risks, categorized as societal, technological, economic, environmental or geopolitical, over a 10-year time horizon2. For each risk, they were asked about the perceived likelihood of the risk occurring globally within the next 10 years and the impact if it does. The survey also considers 13 global trends.

1 The Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS), discussed in the chapter “Fractures, Fears and Failures,” is the World Economic Forum’s source of original data harnessing the expertise of the forum’s extensive network of business, government, civil society and thought leaders. The survey was conducted from August 28 to November 1, 2017, among the World Economic Forum’s multi-stakeholder communities, members of the Institute of Risk Management and the professional networks of the forum’s Advisory Board Members. The results of the GRPS are used to draw the Global Risks Landscape, Interconnections Map and Trends Map presented, and to provide additional evidence used in The Global Risks Report.

2 Survey respondents were asked to assess the likelihood of the individual global risk on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 representing a risk that is very unlikely to happen and 5 a risk that is very likely to occur. They also assess the impact of each global risk on a scale of 1 to 5 (1: minimal impact, 2: minor impact, 3: moderate impact, 4: severe impact and 5: catastrophic impact). See Appendix B of the report for more details.